Shake resawing means



attorney I O .I n e D n 3 April 14, 1953 J R HlGHT SHAKE RESAWING MEANS Flled Nov 16, 1948 April 14, 1953 J. R. HI GHT 2,634,768

SHAKE RESAWING MEANS Filed Nov. 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 linoentor JOHN R. H/G'HT u W 1' My! A ril 14, 1953 J. R. HlGHT 2,634,768

SHAKE RESAWING MEANS Filed Nov. 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 15 v I @(a 3m entot 6A JOHN A? HIGHT {02 $0 0210 OH 2 BB (1 ttorneg l atented Apr. 14,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHAKE RESAWING MEANS John R. Hight, Seattle, Wash. Application November 16, 1948, Serial No. 60,229

2 Claims. (01. 143-10) 1 :--This invention relates to improvements in machines used in'the manufacture of wooden shingles, and it has reference more particularly to a mechanical means for the resawing of hand-split shakes in a manner whereby to form two tapered shingles from each shake, and to provide each shingle with a smooth, flat bottom surface and a thin tip edge of a predetermined thickness.

Explanatory to the present invention, it will here be: stated that wooden, hand-split shakes are desirable for use in home and other building constructions, both from the standpoint of orna-' mentation and of utility. There are some objections-however, to the use of hand-split shakes by reason of that irregularity of their thickness and surfaces, that makes it quite difficult to obtain a, desirable degree of weather tightness when laid in the usual manner. Heretofore, hand-split shakes have been resawed by hand so as to provide two tapered shingles from each shake, but the resawing has not been carried out in a manner or by means that insures the desired or a, satisfactory degree of accuracy that is necessary to overcome the above noted objectionable features, this being due mainly to the human element of inaccuracy that is incident to hand sawing operations.

In view of the fact that neither a satisfactory rate of production can be attainednor a satisfactory product invariably produced by hand sawing operations as heretofore practiced, it has been the principal object of this invention to provide amachine whereby hand-split shakes, regardless of variations in their thickness and surface characteristics, can be quickly and accurately resawed to produce, from each shake, two tapered shingles, each with a smooth, fiat back surface and a tip edge of a predetermined thickness.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a machine of the abovestated character that will automaticall adjust itself to receive and hold shakes of different thicknesses, within certainlimits, and will carry them against the saw and through the machine, for the diagonal sawing of each shake to produce two similarly tapered shingles therefrom.

Yet another object is to provide conveyor belts equipped with novel means for the reception and holding of the shakes while being resawed.

;Still further objects of my invention reside in the details of construction of the various parts embodied in the machine, in their combination, relationship and mode of operation as will hereinafter be fully described. 7

- In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the. preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanyingv drawings, wherein:

. Fig. 1 is a top, or plan view of a shake resawing machine embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal, sectional view of the same taken substantially on line 2--2 in Fig. 3, showing the shake positioning, holding and advancing means as applied to the coacting conveyor chains.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the resawing machine as seen from the feeding end.

Fig. 4 is a, detail showing the mode of anchoring a gauging block to a feed chain.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a hand-split shake before being resawed. Y

Briefly described, the present device comprises a continuously driven band saw, in combination with a machine comprising novel conveyor means whereby the shakes may be individually held and advanced against the saw and thereby divided from end to end, alonga diagonally directed line, thus to produce two similarly tapered shingles from each shake. The shakes to be resawed are fed into the machine one at a time and their advancement to the saw is accomplished by cooperatively arranged belts,- traveling in unison and to which belts solid and yieldable blocks of material are cooperatively applied so as to receive and hold the shakes between them in proper position, as advanced against the saw, to effect their diaga onal division as previously stated.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: The machine, in its present preferred form of construction, comprises a frame structure including ,as parts thereof, horizontally disposed top and bottom plates l0 and l I, respectively. These plates are joined rigidly, in spaced relationship,

by a plurality of vertical posts or spacers l2. It is preferred that these plates be of sheet metal, and in suchcase the posts l2 preferably would be of metal, welded or otherwise suitably fixedat their lower ends to the bottom plate and extended at their upper ends through holes pro-,

vided thereforin the top plate and secured by or between nuts applied thereto as indicated at l3, It is to be understood, however, that I do not wish to be limited in so far as the frame structure-is] concerned, to use of any specific materials, nor

toany specific design so long as it is consistent with the present objects. Economy and expediency of construction and replacement of parts is.

to be considered,'as is also convenience of use.

Supported in. thexmain frame structure between the upper and lower plates, l and II, and operable in horizontal planes, are two cooperatively arranged conveyor belts designated, respectively, by numerals l and I6; each belt being continuous and designed to travel at the same lineal speed as the other. As shown best in Fig. 3, each conveyor belt is made up of two sprocket chain belts, operable in unison and in horizontal, vertically spaced planes, and are joined at intervals therealong by blocks and pads, as will presently be described in detail.

It is shown in Fig. 3 that the belt l5 comprises the two chain belts I5a and I5!) and that these operate, as understood best by reference to Fig. 2, about sprocket wheels l1, l8 and I9 that are fixed, respectively, to vertical shafts 20-21 and 22 which are revolubly contained at their opposite ends in bearings 23 fixed to the plates l0 and II. The bearings which support the shaft 22, in this instance, may be adjustably affixed to the frame plates for belt tightening purposes if so desired.

It is also shown in Fig. 3 that the-belt [6 comprises the two chain belts liia and 16b and that these operate about sprocket wheels 25, 26 and 2? that, respectively, are fixed to vertical shafts 28, 29 and 3'0. These shafts, likewise, are revolubly supported at their opposite ends in bearings 23a: that are fixed to the frame plates l8 and l I. In this case, also, the bearings which support shaft 36 may be adjustably a'ffixed to the frame memhere for belt tightening purposes.

It is to be observed, by reference to Fig. '2, that the two conveyor belts I5 and 16 are so disposed in the frame structure that they will have certain portions thereof held in definite spacing and in parallel relationship; these parallel portions being designated in Fig. 2 by reference numerals I511: and I612. Also, it is to'be observed that the run- 0f the belt l6 that is designated as the part [6.1: is substantially longer than that part of belt 15 designated as l5:z:, and extends beyond the latter at the shake receiving end of the machine; that being the left-hand end in the showing thereof in Figs. 1 and 2.

The two parallel shafts 2i and 29 are transversely aligned in the frame structure relative to the planes of travel of belt runs [5.1: and Him, and. each extends through the top plate ID of the frame. At their upper ends, these shafts are equipped, respectively, with driving gears 35 and 36, as shown in Fig. 1, and meshing with these gears for the purpose of driving them in opposite directions and in unison, are worm wheels 3'! and 38', that are fixed on a. cross shaft 39. Shaft 39 is revolubly mounted in bearings 40 and 4|, that are fixed on the frame plate l0, and at one end it is equipped with a driving pulley wheel 42.-

Wheel 42 is aligned with a relatively small pulley 43 fixed on the drive shaft 44 of an electric motor 45. r

- Motor 45 is mounted on the frame plate In and a belt 46 operates about the pulley wheels 42 and 43 to drive the shaft 39 to advance the conveyor belts in unison and in such direction that the runs 15:: and lGa: will move in the direction indicated by the arrows adjacent thereto in Fig. 2. The runs I53: and lBzr of the belts are supported for travel in contact with backing plates 50-5], and these plates are held in parallel vertical planes by brackets or rods 52 extended thereto from the spacing posts l2, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. r

The resawing of shakes is herein accomplished We band. saw '60.. This 'saw. band is operable by reference character S.-'

the two runs of the belts and exactly midway between them, as has been shown in Fig. 2.

The means for positioning, holding and advancing the shakes is best shown in Fig. 2. Shakes that are to be resawed are of the character of that shown in Fig. 4. They should be of predetermined and substantially uniform length but may vary to some extent in widths. Their thickness usually varies due to hand splitting, but generally this should'be from inch to 1% inches.

Fixed to the paired chains of the belt 1-5, on the outside of the belt, are vertically extending gauging or positioning blocks 65', preferably of wood or other non-compressible material. These blocks may be secured to the chains by bolts 66 that are passed therethrough and welded to links of the chain, as shown in .Fig. l, or affixed in any other suitable manner. All blocks 65 are of the same thickness, as measured from chain to outside surface, and this thickness is. slightly less than the distance from the .chain to the saw. In the present machine the belt 15 is equipped with two of the blocks 65' and their thickness is such that they will pass by the saw band 168:: with a clearance of about A; inch, thus to establish the thickness of the tip of the shingle.

Also fixed to the belt, parallel with and at distances of a few inches in advance of theblocks 65, are relatively wide blocks H3, made of sponge rubber or any equivalent resilient material. These blocks or pads are of about the same transverse'thickness as blocks 65 to clear the saw band in passing, and may be secured to the chains by any suitable means that does not interfere with their resiliency or flexibility.

' Medially of the blocks 65 and the next following block or pad 70, are gripping pads 12 which are secured. to the chains of the belt in any suitable manner. These pads may be made of sponge rubber or other similar material.

In the same manner as above described, wooden blocks 65x, pads lilac and 12.70 are fixed to the paired chains of belt I6. These parts are like the parts 65, ill and 72 as fixed to belt l5 and their spacing along the belt i6 is the same as used in spacing the like parts on belt #5, but as will be noted in Fig. 2, their relationship to the parts as applied to belt I5 is such that in the The greater length of belt it permits the use thereon of three sets of blocks, while belt 15 has two sets.

Assuming the parts of the machine to be so constructed, and operating as described, the re sawing or longitudinal sawing of 'a hand-split shake. would be accomplished as follows, reference being directed first to the showing of parts" is designated 1 in Fig. v1, where the entering shake As one of the wooden gauge blocks 65 on belt 15 passes around the belt supporting sprocket wheels ll toward the cooperatively positioned and inwardly moving pad 19:1: aiiixed to the belt IS, the forward end of a shake that is to be divided (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) is held against the pad 70.1: as it travels toward the saw. Then, as the belts l5 and i6 advance in unison, the end of the shake will be gripped and held between the pad 700: and the block 65; the pad, in this operation, will be considerably compressed, and because of its resiliency will operate to hold that end of the shake firmly against the block. Continued advancement of the belts then causes the pads 7272a: as affixed thereto to engage tightly against opposite sides of the shake about midway of its ends and the outer end of the shake to be forced tightly against the next following block 653: on the belt 16. Thus, as it enters the machine and approaches the band saw, the shake will be held as noted in Fig. 2.

A feature of this invention resides in the fact that the relationship of blocks 65-65:c, as applied to their respective belts l5 and It for contact therewith of opposite ends of the same shake, is such, and their spacing from the saw band so determined, that the saw will enter the shake at a predetermined distance (for example, oneeighth of an inch) from one side, and will leave the opposite end of the shake at the same distance from its opposite surface. Thus each shingle, as formed in the shake resawing operation, will be formed with a thin tip edge, as determined by the distance that the blocks 6565x clear the band of the saw in passing it.

As the divided portions of the shake leave the belts, they may be received between suitable guides as indicated at 80-4! in Fig. 2, to hold them steady until disengaged by the saw band.

While it is not necessary that belt l6 be longer than belt l5, this relationship, as seen in Fig. 2, is desirable from the standpoint of easier hand feeding the shakes into position for being gripped between the coacting blocks 65 and pads 703:.

Materials used, dimensions of parts and details of construction may be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The particular advantage of this machine resides in the accuracy of thickness at tip ends of the shingles, the provision of perfectly flat back surfaces on all shingles, and the ease, speed and uniformity of operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A shake re-sawing machine comprising in combination: a frame, a shake splitting saw mounted therein, two conveyor belts mounted on the frame, each belt having a straight run parallel to and spaced from a straight run of the other and passing opposite sides of the saw, and adapted to receive a shake between them for advancement thereby to the saw; the run of one belt extending beyond the other at the shake receiving end, non-compressible gauge blocks and resilient pads fixed to each of the belts at spaced intervals therealong, and means for driving said belts at the same speed and to cause said arallel runs thereof to move in the same direction; said gauge blocks being so spaced on the two belts that opposite sides at the opposite ends of a shake may be engaged against successive blocks of the advancing parallel runs of the belts to establish the angular splitting position of the shake relative to the cut of the saw, and said resilient pads being so arranged on the belts as to engage the ends of the shake opposite the blocks and coact therewith to retain the angular position of the shake while being split by the saw.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein resilient pads are fixed to the two belts in position to engage with the shakes as positioned for splitting, at opposite sides and between their ends.

JOHN R. HIGHT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 226,569 Temple Apr. 13, 1880 624,753 Clubb May 9, 1899 799,546 Dittbenner Sept. 12, 1905 1,479,462 Uder et 'al Jan. 1, 1924 1,819,817 I-Ioy Aug. 18, 1931 1,876,987 Loefller Sept. 13, 1932 1,895,016 Whiting Jan. 24, 1933 2,178,541 Nicholson et a1. Nov. 7, 1939 2,266,847 Calpha et al Dec. 23, 194 2,304,470 Marshall et a1. Dec. 8, 1942 

